Senate Division 13 · 31 Jul 2025

Sex Discrimination Amendment (Restoring Biological Definitions) Bill 2025 - First Reading - Let the bill be considered in Parliament

Negatived 25 aye · 36 no

What this vote was about

The majority voted against a motion "That this bill may proceed without formalities and be now read a first time." In other words, they voted against considering this bill and so it has failed.

It is unusual for bills to fail at the first reading stage. When explaining their decision to vote against a first reading, the Greens and Labor Parties both reported that they did not want to create a platform in parliament for discriminatory language that could negatively impact already marginalised young Australians. When explaining their decision to vote in favour of a first reading, the Liberal Party reported that they did so to uphold ordinary procedure.

What does this bill do?

According to the bill homepage, the purpose of this bill was to amend the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 to remove references to ‘gender identity’ and insert definitions of ‘man’ and ‘woman’. The effect would be to remove anti-discrimination protections from trans, gender diverse and intersex people.

Context written by They Vote For You volunteers (ODbL), reproduced unchanged.

First reading: The first reading is the formal introduction of a bill. A division at this stage decides whether the bill is introduced at all.

Related bills

Sex Discrimination Amendment (Restoring Biological Definitions) Bill 2025

By party

Party	Aye	No
Australian Labor Party	0	23
Liberal–National Coalition	21	0
Australian Greens	0	12
Pauline Hanson's One Nation	3	0
United Australia Party	1	0
Independent	0	1

Every vote

AYE (25)

NO (36)

Divisions this sitting day

Every division the Senate held that day, in order; the one on this page is marked.

Division 1 Early Childhood Education and Care (Strengthening Regulation of Early Education) Bill 2025 - Second Reading - Early Childhood Education and Care Commission Negatived Senate 13–27
Division 2 Universities Accord (Cutting Student Debt by 20 per cent) Bill 2025 - in Committee - Maximum student contribution amounts for places Negatived Senate 11–29
Division 3 Universities Accord (Cutting Student Debt by 20 per Cent) Bill 2025 - Adoption of Report - Adopt the Committee report Carried Senate 36–3
Division 4 Universities Accord (Cutting Student Debt by 20 per Cent) Bill 2025 - Third Reading - Pass the bill Carried Senate 36–3
Division 5 Universities Accord (National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence) Bill 2025 and another - Second Reading - Anti-Semitism Negatived Senate 25–33
Division 6 Committees — Selection of Bills Committee; Report Negatived Senate 13–31
Division 7 Committees — Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee; Reference Negatived Senate 27–33
Division 8 Committees — Environment and Communications References Committee; Reference Carried Senate 37–24
Division 9 Committees — Environment and Communications References Committee; Reference Negatived Senate 27–34
Division 10 Committees — Productivity in Australia Select Committee; Appointment Negatived Senate 23–37
Division 11 Documents - Middle East - Order for the Production of Documents Negatived Senate 14–34
Division 12 Documents - National Disability Insurance Scheme - Order for the Production of Documents Negatived Senate 28–34
Division 13 Sex Discrimination Amendment (Restoring Biological Definitions) Bill 2025 - First Reading - Let the bill be considered in Parliament Negatived Senate 25–36